Morning all. I'll start with what my final aim of my project is
My project is a motocross simulator, it has five electric (240v)over air and solenoid valves. Each valve with a single supply.
Currently it is run with five toggle on off switches
My aim is to get it so software will control these solenoids in a pattern I can preset
The aim is to have the bike moving around too the footage on the big screen.
I am completely new to electrics but a keen learner. Please keep it simple
My initial research led me too a simple plc ?
I was quite happy to go too a professional locally but there doesn't seem to be any local that deal in small projects?
Thankyou Daniel

 

Welcome to AAC.

I am completely new to electrics but a keen learner. Please keep it simple

Wow! A project like that would be a challenge even for seasoned hobbyists, so unfortunately it will be far from simple.
How do you propose analysing or coding the projected images so that you can synchronise the solenoid operations?
What microcontroller coding skills do you have?
Do you have the tools for programming a pic to do the job?
Do you have the necessary engineering and hydraulics skills?

 

Welcome to AAC.

Wow! A project like that would be a challenge even for seasoned hobbyists, so unfortunately it will be far from simple.
How do you propose analysing or coding the projected images so that you can synchronise the solenoid operations?
What microcontroller coding skills do you have?
Do you have the tools for programming a pic to do the job?
Do you have the necessary engineering and hydraulics skills?

Thankyou for the reply.
I intend to synchronise what I see on the screen too the controller by manual input. Well hopefully.
Simply start the video as I start the controller

Coding skills I have zero.
I have no tools for programming
And as for the tools for engineering and hydraulics/pneumatics. The simulator is built . It's just working via toggle switches

 

I'm assuming the coding won't be as simple as on off on off on off. For each relay ?

 

The coding would obviously have to control the on/off states of each solenoid valve (probably via solid state relays - SSRs), but would also need to take various inputs into account, e.g. from limit-switches (for possible safety features) and manual switches. Would the instrument panel be controlled by it too?

 

The coding would obviously have to control the on/off states of each solenoid valve (probably via solid state relays - SSRs), but would also need to take various inputs into account, e.g. from limit-switches (for possible safety features) and manual switches. Would the instrument panel be controlled by it too?

I'm not sure about the use of limit switches. It has a couple of override switches as safety features but these kill power and air too everything
The machine itself has a natural postition in a neutral state.
I don't have any other items I'm aware of that need controlling other than the five on and off solenoids.
I would love to be able to start the video and machine with one push of the button but I'll settle for starting individually to keep as simple as possible

 

Don't ditch the manual on/off switches yet. When it comes to programming the pic it may be helpful for it to have a learning mode in which it records your actions (via the switches) in response to the video. The recorded sequence can then be tweaked if necessary to correct/improve the program.

 

I'm not sure about the use of limit switches. It has a couple of override switches as safety features but these kill power and air too everything
The machine itself has a natural postition in a neutral state.
I don't have any other items I'm aware of that need controlling other than the five on and off solenoids.
I would love to be able to start the video and machine with one push of the button but I'll settle for starting individually to keep as simple as possible

Don't ditch the manual on/off switches yet. When it comes to programming the pic it may be helpful for it to have a learning mode in which it records your actions (via the switches) in response to the video. The recorded sequence can then be tweaked if necessary to correct/improve the program.

ok. I was always going to keep them as a back up anyways.
So could you give me a rough idear of what parts I'm going to need including tools for programming.

 

Maybe LinuxCNC could be used for something like this, it can be installed on a BeagleBoneBlack, accessing the Linuxcnc gui can be done via VNC from a Laptop. Sequences can be programmed by g-code, which should only require linear movements.

The only issue I see would be a small circuit to convert step & direction pulses to turn a each solenoid on based on direction signal. The time each solenoid is on could be simply based on while a pulse is received.
As the BeagleBone Black can use one of the separate PRU cores the realtime component is not constrained by the latency of the underlying OS.

Actually this is quite an interesting project.

Thankyou for your reply. I've just researched what you have just said. If I'm understanding it correctly. The beaglebone is the controller and Linuxcnc is the software?

 

Sounds similar to an animatronic control. That area of research may prove fruitful. I made an animatronic and a language to control it. So I know that it can be done.